Vehicle-tongue



(No Model.)

T. P. CASE.

VEHICLE TONGUE.

' J2EE? BY' Z/w i Patented May'ZQ, 1883.

' WITNESSES zazaM' ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. PhMmUthngnphar. Washinglon. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE P. CASE, OF POWELL, OHIO.

VEHICLE-TONGUE.

SPECIFICATILON forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,505, dated May 29,1883.

Application' filed Junuary11,1888. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THEODORE PHILO Onsn,

of Powell, in the countyof Delaware and State "of. Ohio, have invented anew and useful Imings, forming part of this specification,

The object of this invention is to provide an adjustable tongue formud-sleds and other vehicles,,which may be secured in a rigid position,or adapted to oscillate to either side, as

., and for the purpose hereinafter described.

In the drawings,il igure l is a plan view of the tongue and a part ofthe sled, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the tongue.

Sleds frequently become tightly frozen to O to the ground in winter, andto loosen them conveniently requires that the tongue shall be adapted toturn to one side, so that a partially 1 3 lateral draft may be broughtto bear upon the runners to wrench them out of the frozen earth rigid orflexible at will.

,vide the tongueA with a plate, B, which is seit cured to the under sidethereof, and adapted or ice. If the tongue, however, is flexiblycontrolled when going downhill or along a slope. It therefore becomesnecessary to provide means. for' rendering the tongue of the sledAccordingly I proto project slightly beyond the same at the sides, andthe front cross-bar, O, of the sled I it i provide with an oscillatoryplate, D, having cleats E, which are adapted to overlap and hold'theedges of the plate B. A sliding-joint is thus formed'between thetongue and said cross-bar, and the farthest backward movement of thetongue is limited by a downward.

oscillatory movement to either side, While the extending flange, F, atthe forward end of the plate B, while the forward movement of the tongueis limited by the guy-chains G, which are connected to the tongue at H,and are secured to the cross-bar O by the eyebolts and nuts I J. Thetongue is thus adapted to have an guy-chains will equalize the draftwhen the tongue is drawn in a direct line. 7

As a means of rendering the tongue rigid at will, a stirrup, K,inclosing the upper surface of the tongue, is pivoted in ears L L,formed on opposite sidesof the plate D, and

the rear end of the tongue is provided with a recess, M, into which thestirrup is adapted to drop when the tongue is drawn forward to itsfarthest limit. To lift the stirrup out of em gagement with the recessM, a rod, N, which is pivoted in a groove, 0, in the upper surface ofthe tongue, and has a crank, P, arranged in a recess, Q, in the rear endof the tongue, is to be turned by means of a handle or footpiece, It, sothat the said crank will lift the stirrup and allow the tongue to beoscillated with the oscillatory plate D. The tongue is to be providedwith friction-plates wherever needed, to prevent wear from the contactof the stirrup. By thus attaching the tongue to the cross-bar O thedouble-trees are supported in a higher position than usual, which hasthe advantage of preventing them from striking side.

The special features of my invention are capable of variousmodifications without departing from the general idea; and I thereforedo not restrict my claim to the exact details of construction herein setforth.

What I claim as new, and desire to by Letters Patent is- 1.- A sled orvehicle tongue which is adapted to form both an oscillatory and alongitndinally slidingjoint with astationary bar, combined with meansfor limiting the sliding movement, and for securing it in a rigidposition at will, substantially as shown and described.

2. A sled or vehicle tongue which is adapted to form both an oscillatoryand a longitudinally sliding joint with the cross-bar of the sled,combined with guy-chains for connecting it to the said cross-bar, and astirrup for holding it ina rigid position at will, substantially asshown and described.

3. The combination of the tongue, the'crossbar, the flanged platesecured to the tongue, the oscillatory plate secured to the cross-bar,the stirrup pivoted to the latter plate, the crank-rod pivoted in agroove in the tongue and adapted to lift the stirrup, and the guychainsconnecting the tongue to the crossbar, all constructed and adapted tooperate substantiall y as and for the purpose specified.

THEODORE PHILO CASE.

